


Warning Signs

by Sun_Spark



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Brothers, Family, Historical References, Protective Older Brothers, Self-Reflection, World War II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-04
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-07-29 05:56:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7672702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sun_Spark/pseuds/Sun_Spark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prussia remembers things from his past and wonders why he couldn't prevent what his brother has become in World War ll.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Warning Signs

**Author's Note:**

> *****  
> WordsWordsWords  
> *****
> 
> Anything that appears between these rows of stars is a memory.
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy!

Prussia hadn't seen it coming, though now that he and West were in the middle of World War ll he didn't know how he'd missed it. He had seen the warnings but had not heeded them, he had seen the signs but had not understood them, now they were all going through his mind, screaming at him.

West, his little brother, had become a monster. Hitler and his Nazi reign were destroying every gentle and kind trait in Germany. Was taking the gentle man who could hold and heal an injured bird so easily, and turning him into a perfect soldier, a weapon, a killer.

Even now as the war and Holocaust alike raged around him, he stood at his brothers side, watching the expressionless face that had once shown so much. Even as the Jews were slaughtered before them Germany did not react. This was enough to bring unshed tears to Prussia’s eyes. At the beginning of the war this had hurt Germany, in more ways than one; the cruelty had torn at his heart, but the pain he felt physically had often left him on the floor bleeding, for the pain of any German was Germany’s pain, and the Jews were Germans. But now after so much Germany was still in horrible pain from it all but he had shut it out, shut his own heart out, he stood their not flinching from the pain.

As Germany stared straight ahead, watching the horrible scene Prussia averted his eyes and watched a small hawk flying overhead. That little hawk brought back memories for Prussia, West had been caring for a bird like that once, so long ago.....

*****  
"Come on, Bruder!"

Prussia bent over, leaning against a tree to catch his breath. For such a small child West could sure run pretty fast. A small bird, probably a hawk, had been flying for it's life from a bigger bird, probably a falcon, it had clipped it's wing on a tree and West had reacted instantly. West had picked up a small stone and aimed just to the side of the bigger bird, barely missing it but sending a clear message, the bird had backed off and left to find easier prey. West had then taken off after the rapidly falling bird, calling back to Prussia to 'Hurry up'.

As he started after his little brother again the thoughts in Prussia’s head were something like the following: This is ridiculous, I gonna havta teach West what the meaning of a 'Food Chain' and a 'Natural Balance' is. In truth he didn't really mind, it's just that West tried to help every creature he came across, as long as it wasn't France, and Prussia couldn't worm his way through the trees like the small boy could.

He finally caught up to West at a small slow moving brook, West was kneeling at the edge of the water holding the small bird in his hand, calming it. As he came closer Prussia saw that it was indeed a small hawk. Leaning against a nearby bolder to catch his breath, Prussia watched West care for the bird. West, young Germany, was no stranger to helping these little creatures, and trying to point out that he would probably be saving some other animal from the hunter in his hands at some point would done nothing but earn Prussia a stern look, so he kept his mouth shut.

After a moment the hawk calmed down and allowed West to look at his wing, as West worked on the birds wing Prussia thought about his little brother. Germany, his little West, was a lot like their father, Germania; completely at home in the trees, could heal almost any injury, especially if it was on an animal, loved every animal their was, was an excellent fighter, and hated Rome to no end. And that just started things. He even looked like Germania.

After a moment he heard West call his name and he looked up, West had finished the birds wing, apparently the little thing had only managed to scratch a few feathers and get some twigs caught in his wing which had stopped him from moving it. He walked over to where West stood stroking the completely calm bird's head. After a moment West gently threw the bird into the air slightly, helping it take to its wings.

As West stood watching the bird flying away Prussia, standing at his side, glanced down at the ankle high water they were standing in, the water seemed completely still and flat and for a moment Prussia saw something. He saw, instead of West's reflection, what looked to be an older Germany, wearing what seemed to be a soldiers uniform, broken and bleeding, crying, with fire burning all around him. Then it vanished, leaving Prussia to wonder if it had ever actually been their.

Prussia shook his head and put his hand on West's shoulder, it had been his imagination, there was no way West would ever become that. And they turned, leaving the brook behind them, walking towards home, and Prussia cast the image out of his mind, Germany wouldn't become that. He couldn't......  
*****

And now here he was, standing beside that same Germany, the same West, seeing with his own eyes the reflection he had seen on the water. Only this was no reflection. This was real. With barely contained, unshed tears in his eyes Prussia stood by Germany's side,

'I'm sorry, West, I couldn't save you from this. I should have seen what was coming, but I didn't, and now.....I'm sorry mein Bruder, I'm sorry.'

Translations:  
Mein Bruder: German for My Brother.


End file.
